Pocket-fastener.



PATENTED JUNE 5, 1906.

E. S. EARHART.

PUCKET PASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1s, 1905.

EDWIN S. EARHART, OF CHICKASHA, IDIAN TERRITORY.

POCKET-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 1906.

Application led July 15, 1905. Serial No, 269,868.

T0 a/ZZ whom. it may concern: Y Be it known that I, EDWIN S. EARHAET, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chickasha, in the southern district of Indian Territory, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Pocket-Fasteners; and

I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to clasps or fasteners particularly adapted for holding garmentpockets closed to prevent loss of the contents thereof either by accident or by theft. Said fasteners may also be used for fastening pocket-books and other articles within the ocket by securing one of the members of the fastener to the pocket-book or other article and the other member to the lining of the pocket.

The invention consists7 broadly, of a socket member and a member having a button or plunger which may be pressed into engagement with the socket member, but when not engaged with the` socket member is auto' matically retracted to a position where it is substantially flush with the surface ofthe material to which it is attached. This renders the device particularly adapted for fastening a pocket, as the plunger when with' drawn or retracted presents-no obstruction to the passage of the hand into the pocket.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention,

I taining drum being removed. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the socket member looking at the outer face of the securing-plate. Fig-5 is a central cross-sectional view of the plunger member alone, showing the plun er withdrawn. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal centra sectional view through the two members of a modified form of fastener in engagement with each other. Fig. 7 is a similar view, the members being separated and the plunger withdrawn within -the plunger member, and Fig. 8 is a broken view showing one of my fasteners applied to a pocket. Fig. 9 comprises broken side and edge views of the plunger of the fasteners shown in Figs. l to 5 and Fig. 10 comprises a broken side view of the sliding catch of said fastener, showing the shape of the projection for engaging the catch and a sectional view through said catch looking at the inner end of said projection. l

Referring more particularly to the drawi ings and rst to the preferred form,l (shown in Figs. 1 to 5,) 1 is the plungermember, and2 is the socket member. The plunger member comprises the securing-plate 3, having a central aperture 4 and carrying a drum 5, having an inwardly-extending flange 6, coniining the disk 7 within the drum. Said disk carries a plunger 8, having al hook 8X on its end, and bears against a coiled spring 9, which when the plunger is released from the socket` member automatically withdraws said plunger into the drum, where its end 8X is substantially Hush with the surface of the securing-plate 3, which forms the inner wall of the drum, as shown in Fig. 5. When the disk 7 is pressed inward, the plunger projects through the central aperture 4 for engage7 ment with thel socket member. Said socket member 2 comprises the securing-plate 10, having a central aperture 11v and carrying a drum 12, consisting of an annular rim 13 and cover-plate 14. Within the drum 12 is arranged a sliding catch 15, mounted and guided between two studs 16 and 17, engaged by a spring 18 and having a finger-piece 19 projecting from the side of said drum. There is a projection 20 on one edge of the catch which extends over the aperture 11, through which the plunger of the plunger member is adapted to be thrust for its hooked end to be engaged by said projection 20. As shown in Fig. 9, the hooked portion 8x of the plunger isbeveled laterally at SZ, and the end which engages with the projection on the catch of the socket member is also beveled, as at 85.

Said projection 2O of the catch 15 has its plunger-engaging end beveled, as at 20X, as shown in Fig. 10. It will be readily seen that when the beveled portion 8y of the plunger engagesthe beveled surface 20X of the projection of the catch said catch will move longitudinally against the iniiuence or the spring 18 to permit said plunger to snap into engagement with the projection 20. The securing-plates of both members are perforated at 21, whereby said members maybe secured by sewing to the article onwhich they are to be used. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, each of the members is arranged IOO IIO

between two pieces of material, (shown in dotted lines at A and B,) the inner ones A representing the lining of a pocket and the outer ones B the outer goods o1 a garment and the lining of the garment. A small hole is of course made in the pocket-lining correspondin to each of the operators in the securing-p ates of the members.

To bring the members of the fastener into engagement with each other, the disk 7 is pressed inward by the finger through the outer goods B of the garment until the plunger snaps into place over the catch in the socket member. To release the catch, the finger-piece 19, which is arranged between the securing-plate of the socket member and the lining of the garment, is pressed, contact being had therewith very readily through the lining. As soon as the plunger is reIeased from the catch the c oiled spring pressing against the disk to which it is connected retracts said plunger within the drum 5.

In the modified form of fastener shown in Figs. 6 and 7, la is the plunger member, and 2a the socket member. As in the preferred form, the plunger member comprises a securing-plate 3a, having a central aperture 4 and carrying a drum 5a, having an inwardly-eX- tending iiange 6, confining the disk 7a within the drum. Said disk carries a plunger 8, which is formed like the ordinary glove-fastener and bears against a coiled spring 9, which when the plunger is released from the socket member automatically withdraws said plunger into the drum, where its end is substantially flush with the surface of the securing-plate 13a, which forms the inner wall of the drum, as shown in Fig. 7. The plunger is projected by pressing upon the disk 7 a in the same manner as in the preferred construc-` tion. The socket member 2a of the modified form is also made after the manner of the corresponding part of the ordinary glove-fastener. Said socket member comprises simply the securing-plate 10a, having a central aperture 11a, in which is fitted the clainp-plate or bushing 11b, the inner diameter of which is such as to clamp the plunger when inserted therein. The lining of the pocket is shown at A in Figs. 6 and 7 and the outer goods of the garment and lining of the garment at B. Both securing-plates are provided with perforations 12a for securing by sewing, and the ocket-lining'is fastened to the socket memer, as at llc, by the clainp-plate 11b as well. The operation of fastening the modified form is the same as in the preferred form, the plunger being pressed into engagement with the clamp-ring by the finger pushing upon the spring-pressed disk through the outer goods of the garment. In order to se arate the members of this form of fastener, t efinger is pressed between the oppositel-y-curved or bent ends 13ZL of the securing-plates, which can readily be done through the pocket-lining. As soon as the plunger is released it iiies back within the drum under the influence of the coiled spring contained therein.

I claim-l 1. In a fastener of the character described, the combination, with a socket member, of a plunger member having a drum comprising sides and a retaining-flange at the outer end, a disk arranged to move in said drum, a plunger mounted on said disk and adapted to stand within said drum or to project therefrom for eng-agement with the socketmember, and a spring arranged in said drum and bearing against s-aid disk, adapted to automatically withdraw said plunger into said drum when said plunger is released from the socket member, the end of the plunger when retracted being substantially Hush with the inner surface of the drum.

2. In a fastener of the character described, the combination, with a socket member, of a plunger member comprised of -a drum composed of sides and a retaining-Harige at one end and a laterally-extending securing-plate on the other end of said drum, a disk arranged to move in said drum, a plunger mounted on said disk and adapted to stand within said drum or to project therefrom through an aperture in the securing-plate for engagement with the socket member, and a spring, arranged in said drum and bearing against said disk, adapted to automatically withdraw said plunger into said drum when said plunger is released from the socket member, the end of the plunger when retracted being substantially flush with the inner surface of the drum.

3. In a fastener of the character described, the combination with a socket member comprising a plate curved at one end, y of a plun ger member with its end curved away from the socket member and in the opposite direction from the curved end of the plate of said socket member for the purpose specified.

' 4. In a fastener of the character described, the combination with a socket member comprising a plate curved at one end, of a plunger member having its plunger adapted to stand with its end substantially flush with one face of said member or to be thrust forward to engage the socket member, said plunger member having a plate with its end curved away from the socket member and in the opposite direction from the curved end of the plate of the socket member.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN S. EARIIART.

Witnesses:

ALGER MELTON, B. W. FisLER.

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